Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on February 8 underscored the importance of keeping economic data accurate and authentic, suggesting that those who fake data should be held accountable.

The central authorities require authentic and reliable economic data, Zhang said during his visit to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

He called for a comprehensive and traceable accountability system to punish those responsible. Falsification of data should be taken into account in officials' performance rating.

Zhang urged local authorities and relevant departments to strengthen coordination and put statistical reform guidelines into action.

Liaoning Province admitted in its annual report at the plenary meeting of provincial lawmakers in mid-January that there had been false economic statistics from 2011 to 2014.

China's statistics at the national level are "authentic and reliable," and the government will resolutely deal with fake economic data, Ning Jizhe, head of the NBS, said in response to the news in January.

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2017)